Gastroenterologist named the alarming causes of heartburn in adolescents
The appearance of regular heartburn in adolescents may not signal accidental nutritional errors, but serious health problems that require medical attention. Gastroenterologist Tatiana Golovchanskaya told Izvestia about this on December 20.
According to the specialist, one-time episodes of burning behind the sternum after eating pizza, soda, or a late dinner are understandable, but the systematic recurrence of the symptom, which interferes with study, sleep, or eating, should be a reason for examination.
As the doctor explained, heartburn can be associated not only with gastroesophageal reflux disease, but also with increased sensitivity of the esophagus against the background of anxiety or depressive disorders, which are not uncommon in adolescence.
"In this case, the symptom becomes part of the overall stress of the body. Another dangerous cause is eosinophilic esophagitis, a condition in which specific cells accumulate in the esophageal mucosa that are normally absent there. This inflammation, without treatment, can lead to narrowing of the esophagus, food jamming and other complications, so complaints of a lump sensation, painful swallowing or food jamming require immediate diagnosis," the specialist warned.
Heartburn can also be a result of chronic constipation, which disrupts the motility of the upper gastrointestinal tract and increases the likelihood of gastric contents being thrown away.
In addition, the symptom sometimes acts as a side effect of taking certain medications prescribed to a teenager for other indications. Golovchanskaya stressed that systematic heartburn should not be perceived as an age norm. In case of repeated complaints, she recommended not only correcting the diet, but also contacting a specialist to clarify the diagnosis and select a safe therapy.
In November, nutritionist and nutritionist Sofya Kovanova told how many tangerines you can eat per day. According to her, it is acceptable to eat up to four medium or six small fruits per day. It is better to limit sweeter varieties by half, since they have a higher carbohydrate content.
All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
